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guide bearings and thrust bearings are set in
proper relation to blade.
2. Adjust guide post so that guide bearings are
just above workpiece (about 1/8") allowing
minimum exposure to blade.
3. If using the fence, move it into position and
lock it to guide rail. If using miter gauge for a
crosscut, the fence should be moved safely
out of the way.
4. Turn on band saw and allow a few seconds for
machine to reach full speed.
Whenever possible, use a
push stick, hold-down, power feeder, jig, or
similar device while feeding stock, to
prevent your hands getting too close to the
blade.
5. Place the straightest edge of the workpiece
against the fence for a rip cut; or against the
miter gauge for a crosscut. Push workpiece
slowly into blade, while also keeping it pressed
against fence or held against miter gauge. Do
not force workpiece into blade.
Additional operating tips:
Make relief cuts whenever possible. A relief cut is
an extra cut made through the waste portion of a
workpiece up to the layout line. When that
intersection is reached by the blade while following
the layout line, the waste portion comes free. This
helps prevent pinching of the back edge of the
blade in the cut.
When cutting, do not overfeed
blade; overfeeding will reduce blade life, and
may cause blade to break.
When cutting long stock, the operator should use
roller stands, support tables, or an assistant to help
stabilize the workpiece.
Figure 32 (ripping)
10.2 Ripping
Ripping is cutting lengthwise down the workpiece,
along the grain of wood. See Figure 32. Always
use a push stick or similar device when ripping
narrow pieces.
10.3 Crosscutting
Crosscutting is cutting across the grain of the
workpiece, while using the miter gauge to feed the
workpiece into the blade.
The right hand should hold workpiece steady
against miter gauge, while left hand pushes miter
gauge past blade, as shown in Figure 33.
Do not use fence in conjunction with miter gauge.
The offcut of the workpiece must not be
constrained during or after the cutting process.
Using the fence in conjunction
with miter gauge can cause binding and
possible damage to blade.
Figure 33 (crosscut)
10.4 Resawing
Resawing is the process of slicing stock to reduce
its thickness, or to produce boards that are thinner
than the original workpiece, such as veneers.
The ideal blade for resawing is the widest one the
machine can handle, as the wider the blade the
better it can hold a straight line.
When resawing, use a push block, push stick, or
similar device to keep your hands away from the
blade. Figure 34 demonstrates resawing with the
aluminum fence plate.
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